Monday, 30 April 2012

One of my favourite past collections from Givenchy involved the layering of shorts with masculine patent tights. The result made for a formal/informal mash up, where crisp bib shirts met studs and sticky black shorts. Even the peacoats had a sophisticated gothic hint to them through the asymmetric shape. It's the legwear layering that really stayed with me though, and I tried out my own interpretation today. It might not be black and gothic based, and more of the countryside vibe, but jodhpurs with postman shorts makes for a friendly every-day version. In other news, make sure you check out DRAMA and SPINDLE magazines that I'm currently writing for, the launch of STYLEGUN on the right of my site, and the lookbook outfits I'm currently selling in CHARLIE'S CLOSET!

Monday, 23 April 2012

Last week I went to the swingin' night at Jaguar Shoes for the Hemmingway For Hush collaboration. With a vintage Brighton barber on hand to perfect my tash and shine our shoes for dancefloor worthy footprints, the night was a delicious nod to vintage rock. Braces, tartan shirts and slicked back hair was the code of conduct. I met the designer Luke, who introduced me to the one of a kind footwear he created. They effortlesly take suede inspiration from rural tracks, but are pumped up to city height with a bounce much like the east-end creepers. Perfect for being on the go and then creeping to the dancefloor at night, they're set to become my statement sole this Summer. The outfit below takes a beat from the rockabily trend with my own pair of Hush Puppies, set for release in July! I'm also wearing a snazzy pair of wasp sting shades from The HappyShack!

Also make sure you check out my ASOS MARKETPLACE page by clicking on 'CHARLIE'S CLOSET' on the right or HERE, as I'm selling a wealth of my previous lookbook outfits on there for snazzy prices!

Friday, 20 April 2012

I regularly work with the designer and good friend Asger Juel Larsen. His new collection Lucid Disorder was without doubt my favourite of his to date. The press review I wrote for him is posted below. To check out more, visit his inspired site HERE!

Asger's Lucid Disorder is introduced with a leather top that has a melting straightjacket aesthetic to it, deliciously darting between dreamy and dystopian. There's an immediate air of sophistication to the start of this collection, with coats that focus on boldness rather than erratically shaped behaviour, and furry soviet hats that nestle the story into shape. Soft black turtle necks are the intimate antidote underneath blood red peacoats that sharply bleed a bold masculine stance. Funnel necks highten this hibernating vibe, and jacket sleeves look like chic weaponry from a sci-fi scene. The colours have a rural essence that have been stained with an industrial scent, with burnt gold, rusty grey and weathered browns attractively taming intimidation.

The head to toe tapestry suit is even engraved into the collection, where a golden offbeat egyptian print defies the stereotype that brighter colours can't have a darker treasure tone to them. The gothic quirk of Ssger is never rejected though, as a blazer is deconstructed in a similar look into a sharp and suave military mood vest. Unexpected zips look like metal etched scars that rip across the body like armor, encouraging looks that can adapt and evolve to aggressive climates. Clean silhouettes are punnished with a subtle infusion of textures, where patent erodes into epic leather. Asymmetric magic also plays with part of the disorder; deconstructed tops offer a beautifully broekn down look, and tops swarm and reverse up the models to chameleon a sensual gothic headscarf.

There's also a trademark urban alliance to the collection, where beanies blend in with rippling and rebellious drop crotch trousers and red velvet tops. East 17 meets the snow stained wilderness. The final look bears vulnerability and boldness in a juxtaposed showstopping manner. The red peacoat is fleshed out to its minimum, relying on the sharp dagger outline that reveals the models chest. Mixed with trojan leather trousers, the lucid disorder infusion is in full industrial force.

Sunday, 15 April 2012

I've spent a lot of time in Camden recently, and I think the punk junction has rubbed off on me. I've been seeing a lot of McQ indications at the pubs, where ripped jeans meet western shirts, and casual shirts are toughened up with a leather jacket. This season is all about loud pattern, and a floral print always pops up in my looks. Showing that it can be articulated and equipped to any look, I've taken an industrial toned top and stripped it down to a sex pistols vest shape. With a ragged parka and my knees bursting out of their jean cage, it's a punk friendly adaptation of my spring fashion fetish.

Monday, 9 April 2012

Thanks to my friends at The Happyshack in Camden, I've had a flavour for DIY destruction recently. Making t-shirts into LA punk vests, bulleting studs into designs, and generally making something imaginative out of the ordinary. My look below takes electric panels into the sweater circuit board like Pat Butcher's investment in glitzy Prada. There's also an amazing I.D shoot with western studs going on.

Wednesday, 4 April 2012

When it comes to one colour confidence, I'm often inclined to shadow myself in black. Colour doesn't blind me; if anything, I'm a rainbow addict at heart, so would feel an itch to paint myself in every colour at once, rather than dedicating an outfit diction to a pure green palette for example. But ever since Agi & Sam's real arrival at London Fashion Week in February, I was never quite able to get their wacky world out of the inspiration bracket in my head. Their collection was a carnival of intense crayon colour, pupetting the models with playground joking humor to amazing effect. A burnt orange lumberjack pretty much hijacks an entire outfit, what looks like hundreds and thousands of sweets explode onto the canvas of a dramatic caped blazer gent, and different tones of blue swirls together in an intricately layered casual/suave mash up. For some reason this collection strikes the scientific puzzle of 'the chicken and the egg' to me, in this case asking whether colour or layering should be the first element of importance and dictatorship in a striking look. But what Agi & Sam have mastered is the marriage of these two, teasing colour into all fabrics that makes the model look like an hypnotic and intriguing work of art.

So I couldn't resist going for bullying blue in my outfit below. One of my recent purchases that's involved in the mix is the pastel blue trilby by Kangol; a perfect slice of stylish seaside that I'm no doubt going to abide by this summer. On a final note, make sure you check out Glossybox for men, which has recently become my beauty survival kit after those nights that aren't too accomodating to you the next day...! The boxes include a teaser of essentials to groom us into suave ones at once!

Sunday, 1 April 2012

I was overwhelmed to have been featured in The Metro last week. I tried out two looks for the day, my favourite one being the decadent sting of a velvet Hackett blazer. Paired with a floral shirt, it made for a mature quirk. You can read the interview on me here